Folding box.



J. R. MYERS.

FOLDING BOX.

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Patented May 12, 1914.

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FOLDING BOX.

APPLICATION rnnn [AB-.17, 191a.

Patented May 12, 1914'.

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JOSEPH R. MYERS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FOLDING BQX.

Sp'eciflcationof Letters Patent.

Patented May 12, 1914.

Application filed March 17, 1913. Serial No. 754,812.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosErH R. Mxnns, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in.

folding boxes and has for its object the provision of an improved box .of this character which will automatically lock itself in dis-- tended position upon being brought to such position.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank, from which a box embodying my invention may be made, Fig. 2, a perspective view of such a box with a portion of one side wall broken away to illustrate more clearly the character of the corner joint, Fig. 3, a perspective view of one corner of said box showing the same in position for folding flat, Fig. 4, a perspective view of a modified form of construction, Fig. 5, a plan view of the box shown in Fig. 4, shown in folded or collapsed condition, and Fig; 6, a perspective view of one corner of the box shown in Fig. 4 illustrating the parts in position for folding flat.

The preferred form of construction as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, is made from a rectangular blank of card-board or other suitable material, scored or creased to form the bottom portion 1, side wall portions 2 and end wall portions 3 when the box is arranged in distended form -as will be readily understood. The extreme corner portions of the blank are cut on an irregular line 4 extending from the apex of each corner of the box to the extreme edge of the blank as shown, such cut serving-to divide each of the extreme corner portions of the blank lying beyond the ends of the corresponding side and end walls, into two flaps 5 and 6 which serve as a means for automatically holding the box in distended position when brought to such condition. Flap 5 is so shaped as to provide a portion 7 in the upper portion of said flap which extends beyond a line 8 radiating from the apex of the corner of the box and bisecting the angles between the corresponding inner edges of the side and end walls and the vertical at the corresponding corner, when the parts are arranged in distended form as shown'in Fig. 2; The flap 6 is provided at its lower portion with an extended portion -9 which extends beyond the line 8 as shown. In making up the box, the portion 7 of flap 5 is glued or otherwise'secured to the corre-- sponding end wall up to the line 8 on said flap, and the portion 9 of the flap 6 is secured to the corresponding side wall the line 8 thereon as shown in Fig. 2.

it is desired to collapse the box, the flap 6 is engaged by the fingers and bent inwardly as indicated in Fig. 3, whereupon'flap 5 is free to bend along line 8' so as to permit said flap to fold flat, and flap 6 is also free to bend along line 8 so as to permit the corresponding side wall 2 to fold down into flat condition as will be readil understood. When it is desired to disten the box, end walls 3 are simply raised into their proper positions, whereupon flap 6 in each corner will automatically snap into the position shown in Fig. 2 and thus automatically lock and keep the box, in the distended condition, the flap 6 thus constituting a keeper for the purpose. Thus it will be seen all that is necessary to do to retain the box in distended position, is to merely raise the ends whereupon both end and. side walls-will beautomatically locked in distened position.

The form of construction illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 is exactly the same as that illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, except that the portions 9 on each of the flaps 6 is bent backwardly upon the flap and secured to the corresponding side wall in this position.'

The operation and effect of this construction is substantially the same as that already described and needs no further description here. The flap 5 has been illustrated as secured 'to the outer side of the corresponding" end wall 3, and the flap 6 has been illustrated as secured to the inner side of the corresponding side wall 2, but it is obvious that the positions of these flaps may be reversed and the same results obtained.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred forms of construction for carrying my invention into effect, these-are ca pable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the i l he ii precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A folding box comprising folded side and end walls each of said Walls being provided with a flap having its outer portion permanently secured to the corresponding other wall and creased for folding on a line radiating substantially from the apex of the corner, substantially as described.

2. A folding box comprising folded side and end walls, each ofisaid walls being provided with a flap, the outer portion of the flap on one of said walls being permanently secured to the inner side of the other well, and the outer portion of the flap on the other corresponding wall being permanently secured to the outer side of said one well, each of said flaps being creased for folding on lines substantially radiating from the corresponding corner of the box, and the inner of said flaps folding at the corner upon its wall, the arrangement being such that said inner flap automatically snaps from its folded to its extended position upon opening said box to lock said box in extended position, substantially as described.

3. A folding box comprising folded side and end walls, one of said Walls, at each corner, carrying a flap permanently secured at 7 its lower portion to the other wall and said other wall being provided with a flap perper portion to the manently secured at its u stantially as defirst mentioned wall, su scribed.

4. A folding box comprising folded side and end walls made from a single rectanular blank of material creased and bent to form a box, each corner portion of said blank being cut to form two flaps, one having its lower portion and the other having its upper portion extended beyond lines radiating from the corresponding box corner, said lower and upper portions being secured to the corresponding adjacent wall up to said lines, substantially as described.

5. A folding box comprising folded side and end walls made from a single rectangular blank of material creased and bent to form a box, each corner portion of said blank being out to form two flaps, one having its lower portion and the other having its upper portion extended beyond lines radiatinv from the corresponding box corner and fiisecting the corresponding angles formedby the corresponding inner edges of the corresponding Walls and the verticals at the corresponding corners, said lower and upper extended portions being secured to the corresponding adjacent walls up to said radiating lines, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOSEPH R. MYERS.

\Vitnesses:

J OSHUA R. H. Po'r'rs, HELEN F. LILLIS. 

